Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

A hundred years before Ender's Game, humans thought they were alone in the galaxy. Humanity was slowly making their way out from Earth to the planets and asteroids of the Solar System, exploring and mining and founding colonies.

The mining ship El Cavador is far out from Earth, in the deeps of the Kuiper Belt, beyond Pluto. Other mining ships, and the families that live on them, are few and far between this far out. So when El Cavadors telescopes pick up a fast-moving object coming in-system, its hard to know what to make of it. Its massive and moving at a significant fraction of the speed of light.

But the ship has other problems. Their systems are old and failing. The family is getting too big. There are claim-jumping corporates bringing Asteroid Belt tactics to the Kuiper Belt. Worrying about a distant object that might or might not be an alien ship seems... not important.

They're wrong. It's the most important thing that has happened to the human race in a million years. This is humanity's first contact with an alien race. The First Formic War is about to begin.

Review:

"Card and Johnston expand Card's near-future universe in this readable, if not notable, novel, which launches a prequel trilogy to the bestselling Ender's Game that will cover the same ground as the recent Formic War comics from Marvel. The residents of the mining spaceship El Cavador discover what appears to be an alien ship, and although young Victor advises alerting as many people as possible, he is overruled by the too cautious ship's council. Then a human corporate ship, under the guidance of Lem Jukes, a son attempting to crawl out from his father's shadow, attacks the El Cavador. Between the alien attacks and the intra-human warfare, there's plenty of action, but the story adds little to the space invasion subgenre, and even less to the Ender universe. Fans won't find anything to actively dislike, and they might appreciate the added development of characters who were one-dimensional in the comics, but there's little to love. (July)" Publishers Weekly Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Synopsis:

Before Ender Wiggin was born, before the Battle School was built, the aliens brought war to Earth.

Synopsis:

Before Ender Wiggin was born, before the Battle School was built, the aliens brought war to Earth.

Synopsis:

The mining ship El Cavador is far out from Earth, in the deeps of the Kuiper Belt, beyond Pluto. Other mining ships, and the families that live on them, are few and far between this far out. So when El Cavador's telescopes pick up a fast-moving object coming in-system, its hard to know what to make of it. Its massive and moving at a significant fraction of the speed of light.

El Cavador has other problems. Their systems are old and failing. The family is getting too big for the ship. There are claim-jumping corporate ships bringing Asteroid Belt tactics to the Kuiper Belt. Worrying about a distant object that might or might not be an alien ship seems... not important.

They're wrong. It's the most important thing that has happened to the human race in a million years. The first Formic War is about to begin.

Synopsis:

A hundred years before Ender's Game, humans thought they were alone in the galaxy. Humanity was slowly making their way out from Earth to the planets and asteroids of the Solar System, exploring and mining and founding colonies.

The mining ship El Cavador is far out from Earth, in the deeps of the Kuiper Belt, beyond Pluto. Other mining ships, and the families that live on them, are few and far between this far out. So when El Cavadors telescopes pick up a fast-moving object coming in-system, its hard to know what to make of it. Its massive and moving at a significant fraction of the speed of light.

But the ship has other problems. Their systems are old and failing. The family is getting too big. There are claim-jumping corporates bringing Asteroid Belt tactics to the Kuiper Belt. Worrying about a distant object that might or might not be an alien ship seems…not important.

They're wrong. It's the most important thing that has happened to the human race in a million years. This is humanity's first contact with an alien race. The First Formic War is about to begin.

About the Author

Orson Scott Card is the author of the international bestsellers Shadow of the Giant, Shadow Puppets, Shadow of the Hegemon, and Ender's Shadow, and of the beloved classic of science fiction, Ender's Game, as well as the acclaimed fantasy series The Tales of Alvin Maker. He lives in Greensboro, NC.

Aaron Johnston is a successful Hollywood screenwriter, and was the coauthor, with Orson Scott Card, of the contemporary SF thriller Invasive Procedures.

Average customer rating based on 3 comments:

I really enjoyed how this tale captured space culture; those bred and born in space have physiological differences to those bred and born in a gravity environment. The laws of physics, theory of gravity, and the known limits of human endurance weren’t ignored willy-nilly in this space opera, which was quite refreshing. The characters started off simple, in their little worlds, doing their every day deeds; and then they quickly had to grow and morph into something more as the threat of alien invasion became apparent.

ZagsFan, August 4, 2012 (view all comments by ZagsFan)
It's been a while since Orson Scott Card has revisited Ender's world. This prequel to the Ender's series is a well-told story, with nice character development (with perhaps the most reprehensible character yet to be introduced) and promises of gripping adventures to come. Great for space-opera fans. I am looking forward to future installments.

ZagsFan, August 4, 2012 (view all comments by ZagsFan)
It's been a while since Orson Scott Card has revisited Ender's world. This prequel to the Ender's series is a well-told story, with nice character development (with perhaps the most reprehensible character yet to be introduced) and promises of gripping adventures to come. Great for space-opera fans. I am looking forward to future installments.

"Publishers Weekly Review"
by Publishers Weekly,
"Card and Johnston expand Card's near-future universe in this readable, if not notable, novel, which launches a prequel trilogy to the bestselling Ender's Game that will cover the same ground as the recent Formic War comics from Marvel. The residents of the mining spaceship El Cavador discover what appears to be an alien ship, and although young Victor advises alerting as many people as possible, he is overruled by the too cautious ship's council. Then a human corporate ship, under the guidance of Lem Jukes, a son attempting to crawl out from his father's shadow, attacks the El Cavador. Between the alien attacks and the intra-human warfare, there's plenty of action, but the story adds little to the space invasion subgenre, and even less to the Ender universe. Fans won't find anything to actively dislike, and they might appreciate the added development of characters who were one-dimensional in the comics, but there's little to love. (July)" Publishers Weekly Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

"Synopsis"
by Netread,
Before Ender Wiggin was born, before the Battle School was built, the aliens brought war to Earth.

"Synopsis"
by Netread,

Before Ender Wiggin was born, before the Battle School was built, the aliens brought war to Earth.

"Synopsis"
by Netread,
The mining ship El Cavador is far out from Earth, in the deeps of the Kuiper Belt, beyond Pluto. Other mining ships, and the families that live on them, are few and far between this far out. So when El Cavador's telescopes pick up a fast-moving object coming in-system, its hard to know what to make of it. Its massive and moving at a significant fraction of the speed of light.

El Cavador has other problems. Their systems are old and failing. The family is getting too big for the ship. There are claim-jumping corporate ships bringing Asteroid Belt tactics to the Kuiper Belt. Worrying about a distant object that might or might not be an alien ship seems... not important.

They're wrong. It's the most important thing that has happened to the human race in a million years. The first Formic War is about to begin.

"Synopsis"
by Netread,

A hundred years before Ender's Game, humans thought they were alone in the galaxy. Humanity was slowly making their way out from Earth to the planets and asteroids of the Solar System, exploring and mining and founding colonies.

The mining ship El Cavador is far out from Earth, in the deeps of the Kuiper Belt, beyond Pluto. Other mining ships, and the families that live on them, are few and far between this far out. So when El Cavadors telescopes pick up a fast-moving object coming in-system, its hard to know what to make of it. Its massive and moving at a significant fraction of the speed of light.

But the ship has other problems. Their systems are old and failing. The family is getting too big. There are claim-jumping corporates bringing Asteroid Belt tactics to the Kuiper Belt. Worrying about a distant object that might or might not be an alien ship seems…not important.

They're wrong. It's the most important thing that has happened to the human race in a million years. This is humanity's first contact with an alien race. The First Formic War is about to begin.

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